3 in Montco busted during meth investigation admit to drug activity

NORRISTOWN — Two Upper Providence residents and another from Telford have admitted to engaging in illegal drug activity after being busted by police during the investigation of a methamphetamine trafficking organization in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Todd M. Slawecki, 53, of the first block of Orchard Court, Upper Providence, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to eight felony charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and one felony charge of conspiracy in connection with incidents that occurred between December 2011 and March 2012. Judge Thomas G. Gavin, a visiting senior judge from Chester County, allowed Slawecki to remain free on bail pending sentencing later this year.

Kristina Rose Popelarski, 29, of the 300 block of Greenwood Avenue, Upper Providence, pleaded guilty to three felony charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and a felony conspiracy charge in connection with her contact with the drug organization. She also remains free while awaiting sentencing.

Anthony J. Lagrotte, 33, of the 100 block of North Third Street, Telford, was sentenced to one year of probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possessing methamphetamine.

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Slawecki, Popelarski and Lagrotte were three of the 32 people, many of whom lived in Hatfield, Schwenksville, Lansdale, Gilbertsville, Phoenixville, Royersford, Lower Providence, Limerick, North Wales, Blue Bell and Philadelphia, who were charged in connection with their roles in the drug operation as distributors, users or pushers of the expensive drug.

With the charges, authorities alleged Slawecki was “the conduit” between other targets of the drug investigation and would pool his money with others to pay an alleged supplier for methamphetamine, according to the arrest affidavit.

Popelarski, authorities alleged in the arrest affidavit, was “a close associate” of others involved in the drug organization and obtained methamphetamine from them and facilitated the drug business. A recorded conversation between Popelarski and one of the targets of the investigation exposed her involvement with the drug business, court papers alleged.

Lagrotte was “a frequent drug customer” of Francesco “Frank” Messina, one of the targets of the investigation, detectives alleged in the criminal complaint.

Earlier this week, Messina, 44, of the 600 block of Garfield Avenue, Upper Gwynedd, was sentenced to three-to-six years in state prison and 15 years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy in connection with his role in the drug organization.

Messina, who at the time of his arrest worked at a Lansdale area auto-body shop and resided on Schwab Road in Hatfield, admitted to directly delivering more than two grams of meth to an undercover detective on two occasions and to being involved in the delivery, conducted by some of his alleged co-defendants, of another five grams of the drug.

The drug has a street value of about $500 a gram, authorities said. At the time of the arrests last year, prosecutors said the investigation began after they received an anonymous tip in the mail.

Members of the county’s Narcotics Enforcement Team worked closely with police in Souderton, Lansdale, Hatfield, Lower Providence and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency branch in Philadelphia to gather enough evidence to obtain state Superior Court approval for wiretaps on the cell phones of Messina and Troy Dudas, formerly of the 100 block of Mine Run Road, Limerick, another target of the investigation, in February 2012, according to court papers.

In November, Dudas, 36, pleaded guilty to felony drug, corrupt organizations and conspiracy charges, essentially admitting to his role as one of the main suppliers of the organization. Dudas remains in the county jail without bail while awaiting sentencing.

Others arrested included two brothers, Jeffrey and David Penna, who used and distributed methamphetamine from Jeffrey Penna’s residence in the 1200 block of Cabin Road in Hatfield Township, authorities alleged.

Jeffrey Penna, 42, previously was sentenced, under a plea agreement, to seven years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to multiple felony counts of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy. With the charges, authorities alleged he was getting methamphetamine from his supplier and then giving it to his own customers and friends.

David Penna, 36, of the 1800 block of Valley Forge Road in Lansdale, previously pleaded guilty to one count each of delivering methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver the drug and he was sentenced to four years’ probation under a plea agreement.

The investigation did not uncover a methamphetamine manufacturing facility in the county.

But wiretap interceptions resulted in 14 searches of properties throughout Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. During the searches authorities seized quantities of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and less than a dozen firearms, prosecutors alleged. While large quantities of the drug were not confiscated during the investigation, authorities said the dismantling of the organization was still very “significant.”

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.